The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-05-28
TEA STORES TOYS.
QUEER DISCOVERIES MADE pY AN
INoUlslTlVE NEWSPAPER MAN.

Tho Latest Thing In Mechanical Toys-In
Demand by tao Tea Siorcs-Tho Chenp
Chrome Craze and the Git Eusi-
moss.
The latest thing In mechanical toys can I've
seen in one or two stores on Broadway.
Placed in tho show windows, the toy attracts
great crowds 1t is of German origin, anil it
first nade its appearance here before the hol-
idays. 1t represents an old man IN dressing
gown and nightcap endeavoring to annihilate
rat with something that looks like Il tennis
bat. What ticlles the disabilities of the nd
miring crowd outside the window is the ex-
preston Of abiect disappointment on the old
mans face rs he strikes where the rat ought
to be- The toy when wound up will attract
crowd and keep piclpockets busy for about
two hours.
Curiosity impelled the writer TO scel, some
Information about the origin and price of
this man and rat combination. lie did not
intend To purchase. Being Il married man he
gets rats" at homo at first cost A Young
man-furher description II him is ummcccs-
sary, he was Il Broadway clerl:-smilcd and
pulled out n pad, as though he was about to
take an order When Informed that curios-
ity was the object of his visit his suavity did
not desert him-he was still n Broadway
clerk
The courteous clerk explained that his chief
imported half dozen Of the toys last year.
They cost about 50 each, and were sold at
from IS TO $40 He continued: "Our firm,
having toy factory, resolved to fiud work
men in this country capable of making the
same kind Of mechanism They succeeded,
and now the toys are made at cost Of about
sai a dozen"
BUYERS OF TEA AND COFFEE.
"Do you sell manyl"
"Nes, us fast as we can manufacture. A
few days ago we had an order for fifty from
western retail tea storcn
"Wllat would tea store want with such
tlinrsm
"Thev give them away to purchasers Of ten
AMI coffee. These tea men nowadays give
away mnny things in our line. We sell them
dolls, toilet sets, boxes of paints, and many
other knirl;knackS. Just go up to Grand
street aud sec what they have in their win.
dows TO give ava, to customers
Thanking thn urbnne Broadway clerk. the
reporter wendell his way to Grand street to
find out how tea stores can afford to be so
liberal.
In due time he stepped into II store. the
leading tint Of which was vermiion There
was nothing to distinguish the interior from
crorkery store except the vermiliom and IA
strong odor Of roasted coffee. The reporter
approached Il man who presided over the cash
desk and wore n colo cap and II sweet smile,
and who proved to lie the manager of the
concern, and asked how ten stores could he so
lavish with crockery and such things 10 their
patrons.
"Somc years ago" said the wearer of the
polo cap, "a house in this city began giving
away cheap chromos That was the begin-
ming of the evil. Their trade increased, for
in those days people were chrome crazy The
Introduction Of glassware and crockery had
its origin in the inventive brain of a man who
is now very wealthy and Is in business; on
Second avenue. l wish he was in Jericho
Then began sharp competition. Each tea
man We'd with the Others In inventing some
ucw fake" 10 catch the foolish housekeeper
The customers when posted in this gift enter
prise business became very exacting. l
shouldn't be surprised some day to hear
lady asking for ton Of coal or piano after
purchasing five pounds of tea.
BASIS OF THE BUSINESS.
"With every purchase of tea and coffee we
give tickets in this way. With one pound Of
fifty cent tea or with two pounds of thirty
cent coffee we give one whole ticket. This is
the basis Some articles that we give away
such as lamps and clocks-require rs many
as twenty-five full tickets. One ticket on an
average is equal to from six to eight cents Off
the profits
Your profits must be pretty large to per
init of such liberality," suggested the re-
porter.
well, now, don't mind telling you, since
you seem anxious Our teas at fifty cents a
pound cost MS about twenty-one cents, and
our coffee ut thirty cents, when we sell il
ground, stands us about twelve cents Il pound {;
So You see, even though we are liberal. we
will make large profit"
you say whom you sell the coffee groundr
"That's what I said. You see, chickory.
rye, and peas do not cost MS much as coffee -
"And where do they come I'M"
An, SEQ you arc not on to many of the
tricks OF our trade. Don't you know that
when we sell ground coffee nearly half of it
Is ehickory, rye, and peas! Great Scott!
man, how do you think we are going to live
and give an eight day clock with ten whole
tickets"
DO you adulterate your teas, tooi'
"Nell, no; that would not pay You sec
we mix coffee and blend teas. BY blending I
mean we mix good, bad and middling to-
sciher, call it some outlandish combination
or chop and let her go. New York Her
aid.